Prologue: A Goddess's Tears

In the distant past destiny took place for the first time. A prince fought valiantly to save the princess he longed for.

Sparks ignited as blades clashed against each other. "You're quite the moron." Renox chuckled, deflecting another attack. Kero did the same and dodged a few heartless. "How so?" He effortlessly killed a few of the nuisances. "A keyblade master destined to protect the world. Its laughable."

Renox unleashed another powerful attack on the hero. A black wisp sliced at Kero's arm before his beaten body skidded across the battlefield.

"Kero!" Natsumi yelled, pumping her legs faster. She had to make it in time. She had to save him.

Her life without Kero; without his smile was no life at all!

Kero opened his brown eyes, "Natsumi?" He whispered while he struggled to stand.

"You can't save those who are destined to fall. Don't you see its pointless." Renox sneered. His blood red eyes glared at Kero's idiocy.

'Why are you fighting a hopeless battle?'

In his mind's eyes he saw a little boy watch the city burn brightly before him.

Fearfully, the trembling boy hid behind a beautiful woman.

The woman with long black hair smiled and knelt down. Her fingers gently ruffled his hair.

Renox closed his eyes seeing her enchanting eyes filled with clouded pain, yet there was some joy underneath those grey clouds.

She said something to the boy that Renox couldn't hear.

It was the same woman he saw in his dreams.

What utter nonsense. Heartless couldn't dream, because they don't have hearts.

They are nothing but pawns a person uses on a chess board. Pawns who can't fathom what emotions must feel like.

Renox mentally shook those images away. Why did these strange fantasies come to him?

He touched his closed right eye smearing blood on his cheek.

His blood red eyes looked at the sickening determination in Kero's.

"This is your last chance, submit to the darkness." Renox summoned his magical dark keyblade.

Kero didn't lower his guard, he'd made his choice.

Ghastly dark fire lit Kero's body ablaze leaving burn marks.

The dark Nobody watched Kero's agony and a twisted smirk curved his lips.

"My master has grown stronger!" Fresh cuts nipped at Kero's skin. Bloody cuts were carved across his chest and back.

"You are outnumbered, a billion to one!" Dark blades surrounded Kero and took turns slicing his beautiful flesh.

"In case you've forgotten. Most of the worlds have been swallowed by darkness. The untouched worlds will soon follow."

Renox grabbed Kero's neck and strangled him at arms length. "Lastly, you don't even have reinforcements."

Kero coughed blood. Natsumi couldn't bare to see him in anymore pain.

She had to stop this!

My heart stirred watching their desperate struggles to end the final battle. For the longest time I watched humans go about their daily lives. I saw their struggles, I felt their happiness, I saw their battles and heard their cries. I smelled blood from many battlefields where I stood in my own world. From watching these humans in different worlds I chose my champions to battle my conflict.

Guiding and interacting with my champions I wondered what drove humans the most?

What makes them keep going when all hope is lost?

When their world is bleak?

What gives them hope in attaining their crystals?

It was after the first cycle did I realize that it was love that kept these humans moving forward.

This emotion can easily be twisted and become a person's weakness.

Love can also be strong. That's how precious it is to one's heart.

Natsumi charged into battle, keyblade withdrawn in a flurry of flower petals.

"Out of my way!" She slashed heartless after heartless.

The heartless quickly replaced the defeated ones and soon crowded the princess.

She felt her body being consumed by the heartless, her arms were too tired to move.

'I can't end here.' Natsumi thought seeing a glimpse of that little girl with blue hair.

'I've seen her before.' Natsumi thought picturing a little girl holding up a handful of pretty seashells.


The scenery changed to an island overlooking a bright pink and orange sunset.

She looked down seeing the same little girl standing next to her.

"Will I see you again?" Aqua asked. Natsumi smiled accepting the blue thalassa shells.

"Yes." She giggled seeing Aqua's suspicious look.

The salty sea air reminded Natsumi of the salty ice cream she and Kero had eaten earlier that day.

"How can you be so sure?"

Aqua took a quick look at the glittering water, it certainly was a beautiful sight.

"Well for starters I'm a shinigami also known as a soul reaper. Shinigamis live for a very long time."

Aqua pondered this for a moment, and scrunched up her nose.

"That means you're older than that old man by the docks!"

The remark earned the brat a justified punch on the head.

"Don't insult my age!" Natsumi quickly calmed down and cleared her throat.

"Its rude to ask older people how old they are."

Natsumi blinked her radar was going off. "A hollow." She whispered about to fly away.

Aqua hugged her, "Please don't go!"

"I'll come back, you have my promise. ... I'll always come back to you." Natsumi hugged her.

Aqua slowly let her go and waved at the soul reaper in the sunset sky.

"Be safe nee-chaaaan!"

Natsumi halted a little by Aqua's startling words.

"I'm not your big sister!" Natsumi couldn't believe she was growing so attached to this girl she just saved two days ago.

"Yes you are nee-chan!" Aqua huffed and folded her arms.

"A defiant little one." Natsumi sighed and took off to kill another Hollow.


A slobbering tongue awoke the princess from her reverie.

"Ewwww!" She screamed a heartless had the nerve to lick her face.

Within seconds it was murdered by her keyblade.

"Okay! Now to save Kero!" She darted off being chased by more heartless.

'Aqua, Ven, Terra... Everyone. Wait for us a little longer.' She thought leaping through the air then took down a giant heartless.

She soon made it just in time to deflect one of Renox's attacks.

Kero shielded his eyes from the blinding light.

Something was amiss. I gasped seeing a star fall from the heavens.

A lump formed in my throat for I knew the princess had sacrificed herself seeing no other way.

To save the one she loved.

Kero's brown eyes stared into Natsumi's violet ones, watching her glossy lips mouth something.

He couldn't understand her. What was she saying?

"I love you." Natsumi confessed, feeling her body disappear into cherry blossom petals.

Her angel wings broke into dazzling white feathers.

This wasn't fair. They were supposed to be summoned by me after their battle.

I needed their help. I knew that even I could do nothing for of them.

No matter how hard I wished.

The sparkling petals and angel feathers flew away before Kero's eyes.

"Natsumi!" Kero yelled, then gasped seeing the last of her body disappear into Sakura petals.

Soft as flower petals the dream witch's soft lips smiled.

"What will you do now, Goddess?" A cherry blossom petal landed in her hand.

I released my tears and started crying. An act when humans have been hurt.

The sadness I felt for this couple was far greater than I ever felt for my deceased warriors.

A crystallized flower prison appeared behind the hero as a big heart took the place where Natsumi's form once was.

A jolt struck my soul's core when Natsumi's heart freed the other trapped hearts.

With her power she formed new hearts for future princesses.

By this action, she gave hope to the ones who held keyblades.

I smiled although bittersweet, I was a little happy for the freed hearts.

Kero's eyelids started to grow heavy while his body floated inside the crystallized flower prison.

His ears perked up a little hearing a gentle voice behind the light.

"My wish was to meet you later. As selfish as that is I needed your help. I guess I'll have to wait for a long while. Please sleep well my knight."

I opened my crystal blue eyes hoping my message got to him before he disappeared from existence.


Since his disappearance the hearts returned to their worlds. Family and friends were restored.

Pocahontas coughed water out of her lungs and crawled onto shore. Nakoma stopped in her tracks frozen like a deer. Was it her?

"Pocahontas!" Nakoma cried hugging her lost best friend. "Welcome back!"

Pocahontas joyously hugged Nakoma.

Her father greeted her at home. She had much to tell him.


The keyblade waited for its master to return and eventually it chose another.

This boy touched many hearts, he reminded me of your pure and noble heart.

In a way he was your successor, and his light was like yours.

Sora embraced Kairi once more then together with his friends they returned to the island to celebrate his return.


"The moon should be red." I heard a girl's voice say from somewhere.

I sought it out and replayed the events that took place centuries ago.

Katsumi killed another enemy then froze.

Lying on the ground nearby, was the prince surrounded by corpses.

She slashed down more enemies running to him.

Falling to her knees the bodyguard touched his face and flinched.

His skin felt like ice and there were numerous bloody wounds.

The young girl cradled his head on her lap and sobbed.

Her vision began to blur as she remembered their moments they shared.

He would never speak to her again, never dance with her.

He couldn't make her smile or laugh.

The prince showed her, a monster what it was like to be human.

Teardrops fell on his face washing away some blood.

This whole war was to blame!

Consumed with anger and sorrow she let out a tortured scream to the heavens.


"Mommy!" An adorable little girl who was different from others ran up to her mother and hugged her.

An ethereal inhuman woman petted her soft mid-length dark brown hair and removed herself.

It was the same color as her own, the crescent moon necklace glittered underneath the stars.

The weather had stopped raining hours ago.

"Alec take care of my daughter for me." She said overlooking the blood thirsty enemy soldiers up ahead.

The little girl started crying as she tried running up to her mother again. Alec gently pulled her back.

"Mommy don't go! You promised you would never leave me!"

The woman didn't turn around as Alec watched her.

"Miya." His right golden eye and left blue eye gave her a questioning look.

Miya clenched her fist hearing her daughter's cries.

It was simply too much, how could any mother go out like this?

She turned around and encircled her arms around her daughter's body.

The tight hug felt safe and warm to the little girl. She could smell her mother's perfume.

`Roses.' She thought burying her face into her mother's shoulder.

"Hey now, don't cry sweetie. The lot of those tough looking soldiers can't handle me. I'll kick their asses!"

Alec face-palmed, how many times did he tell Miya not to cuss in front of children?

A goofy grin spread across her face as her daughter cutely hiccupped then smiled.

"That's a good princess ... Close your eyes I want to give you a special gift."

Miya drew ancient magical spells into the air in front of her daughter.

The symbols glowed pink then a magical circle decorated with flowers appeared in a flash.

Alec and other people backed away, some shielded their faces from the wind.

"Mommy?" Her daughter mewed hesitantly.

"Everything's alright. I'm almost done." Miya said feeling her hidden power flow through her.

The symbols tattooed on her right arm and back glowed as well.

They transferred her hidden magic to the palm of her hand.

"I originally wanted to present your gift when you got older, but time is running out. Hn, you can open your eyes now."

"What do you mean?" Her daughter asked obeying her mother.

Miya scratched the back of her head and waved her hands in front.

"T-That's not important. ... Ya know, I really hope you didn't inherit some of my awkwardness let alone my hyper side. Please don't be spacy like me, and don't rush into things without coming up with a plan. I never wanted my bad qualities to affect you. How can you find yourself a prince with them? Speaking of boys... If a boy acts like a pervert around you, immediately punch his lights out. Remember all boys are after one thing. Alec's sister will explain what that thing is when you're older. Be careful when practicing our magical arts, they can be very dangerous. Always listen to your superiors and don't daydream so much. Eat right, that means don't stuff yourself with sweets before bed and stay away from a lot of pork buns. Oh, sake is every woman's best friend when they are sad. Just drink sake in small amounts. Sadly, I intend to be too forward and clumsy. Alec knows how clumsy I am. Don't cha, Alec-kun?"

Her daughter was completely clueless on everything her mother told her.

`What thing is she talking about? ... Cake?` She wondered.

Alec nodded with an anger-vein on his head. "Yes and it is not something to be proud of!"

He shot her a glare. Miya stuck out her tongue his way.

The cute little girl raised an eyebrow as her mother sighed. "I've already seen some of the signs unfortunately."

Miya beckoned her daughter closer, the shield around them couldn't hold much longer.

`I'm sorry I won't be there to see you grow up. I've made a request for a teacher to train you when the time comes. I know you will become powerful and learn a variety of magical spells.' Miya's hand glowed, showing her daughter a small bright light.

"With this gift I give you my hidden power. This power has been passed down from generation to generation in our rich family. You will become something great and do many great things in life. Please don't forget my advice." Miya kissed her daughter's forehead murmuring how much she loved her.

Her delicate hand held the light over her daughter's right eye.

The light merged with her eye turning it purple.

A golden magic symbol was etched into her purple eye then it too disappeared.

Miya's gift as complete, the glittering magic circle flashed away and the barrier broke into shimmering crystal.

"Mommy." Her daughter whispered feeling her eyelids grow heavy.

Miya stood up and nodded at Alec. An unspoken promise passed between them.

"I'll see you in the lifestream, Ayame." Her mother said, just as her daughter's eyes fully closed.


My heart went out to the mother and daughter as my consciousness returned.

When the final warrior breathed his last breath from the first cycle, I wondered if there was hope for the light to conquer the darkness.

Somewhere in a distant world, I felt it. A small ray of light shined down on a single heart.

The light felt familiar and kind. Perhaps there was hope after all.

A four year old girl with short golden blond hair looked at the beautiful image of a Goddess from where she stood.

The Goddess was made with stein glass, it was truly a breathtaking view.

She looked around seeing other stein glass windows in her dream.

In this dream she wore her cute white frilly dress.

It was decorated with light blue trimming along the collar and the bottom's edges.

Tiny pink, blue, and purple flowers finished off the design.

A small fragment of light floated down to the curious girl.

"Hi, I feel a warmth residing in your heart." The female voice whispered.

"Its gentle like the waves of the ocean." The light added.

The little girl smiled and giggled.

"Your voice sounds sad." Hanami frowned.

"I am even though you can't see my tears. I lost someone very precious to me a long time ago." The light answered.

"I've been wandering in this empty place for who knows how long."

The light hovered near the girl's innocent face slightly mesmerized at her lovely crystal blue eyes.

It saw that the girl wasn't completely human.

"I'm sorry. ... I want to help you! Please!"

The light was deeply moved by the girl's kindness.

"There is one way you can." The light's voice bounced off against the dark walls making it echo.

Hanami cutely tilted her head to the side. "What?"

"Please let me stay inside your heart and together we'll find him."

Hanami didn't know how to describe it, but she felt very close to this ball of light.

"Mm-hm." Hanami smiled with her eyes closed.

Joyously the light entered her heart.

"Thank you." It whispered.